


Without Armor

by Kalloway



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:36:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21912286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalloway/pseuds/Kalloway
Summary: Ansem plans to catch a god.But he becomes the one to take the bait.
Relationships: Ansem Seeker of Darkness | Xehanort's Heartless/Cloud
Comments: 12
Kudos: 3
Collections: The Lemonade Cafe





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> April 5, 2004.
> 
> (W/OA is still a little piece of my soul.)

With Sora out of the way, Ansem had all of the pieces in place - except for one. As much as he was unwilling to admit it, he was nowhere near as powerful as he wanted, no, needed to be.

He did have a solution in mind though, one that would supply him with more than enough energy to reach his goals. All he needed to do was catch himself a god.

Maleficent disagreed with him when he insisted he needed to bring another person to Hollow Bastion. But it wasn't as if she ran the show. She was a lackey, whether she believed it or not. She was no match for him anyway. It was just that she did such a good job keeping the others in line or else he would have killed her on the spot. That or sent her off into the black void in which he hoped to have Sora trapped for a few months longer. Until he could get what he needed.

Instead of sending an underling in his place, Ansem went to the land of the gods himself.

* * *

There was, of course, a slight flaw in his plan. The more Ansem insisted that he required a one of Hades' contracted minions, the more Hades figured he had prime property that shouldn't be given up so easily.

But, after some stealthy negotiation and a promise of a legion of strong, powerful heartless for the Coliseum, Ansem collected a very unconscious blond warrior and headed back to his domain.

* * *

Opening his eyes, Cloud puzzled as to why his vision was a bit blurry and why his head hurt so badly. A moment later he realized he should know the answer by now. He'd been knocked out so many times in his life that coming to in a completely different situation shouldn't have been so shocking.

Still, instead of a dungeon or worse, he was laying rather comfortably on a wide, soft bed.

Cloud sat up, checking out his surroundings. Wherever he was, it wasn't the Coliseum.

"What the...?" he said to himself, raising a hand to his head to check for lumps or blood. Blinking again, he found himself to be without any of his armor. Thankfully he was still dressed. Closing his eyes, Cloud fought off a vivid flashback of another time, another place.

He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and it wasn't just the slow burning hunger tugging at the edge of his mind.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood. A wave of dizziness passed over him, causing him to stumble at first, but he finally made his way to the door of the elaborate room. Hopefully whatever lay beyond would offer some explanation for his position.

The hallway beyond didn't lend much of a clue as to his whereabouts. Each direction looked the same, dark and deserted.

"Up so soon?"

Cloud spun around, not sure how he was going to defend himself. He wasn't much of a brawler, despite his friend Tifa attempting to teach him more than once. He struck out at where the voice had come from, not expecting his fist to be caught in a ball of black energy.

Mages were tricky, Cloud knew, having spent a reasonable amount of his life around them. But they had weaknesses. And he didn't have to find those weaknesses right away. In fact, he was rather sure he wanted to know just what was going on.

"Where are we?"

"My home," the voice behind the energy said. Cloud pulled his fist back and the energy vanished.

Blinking, Cloud thought for a moment that it was Sephiroth who stood there. But after coming to his senses, he saw more differences than similarities. The man's skin was darker, his hair just a bit lighter. And his eyes were a captivating orange-red.

"You brought me here? Why?"

"Were you really enjoying the Coliseum that much, Mr. Strife?" the man asked, smiling a rather sinister smile.

Cloud didn't answer. He wasn't about to volunteer any information until he knew what was going on. He wasn't even sure if he was a prisoner or not. Most of his captive experiences had involved being, well, more captive.

"In this place, whatever you desire will be yours," the man said a moment later, raising an eyebrow at Cloud's silence.

"I desire to know what's going on," Cloud replied flatly. Surely it wasn't such a difficult request.

"You are now a resident here," the man explained. "I bought out your contract at the Coliseum."

Cloud was confused as to why anyone would do that. Unless he was to become some sort of assassin here, Cloud was unsure of any purpose he could serve.

"Am I to serve you?" he asked finally, bracing himself for what seemed like the obvious answer.

"You are to be a guest in this realm," the man said, smiling after he spoke. The look in his eyes frightened Cloud ever so slightly. It was the look of a man standing at the edge of sanity.

"A guest?" Already, something was screaming foul in Cloud's mind. Yet he also knew that there was little chance his host would be willing to spell out the plan. He didn't seem to be in any danger. Apparently the only way to find out the real story was to wait for it to show itself.

"As I asked before, Mr. Strife, were you really enjoying the Coliseum?"

Cloud narrowed his eyes for a moment before answering. "I thought it could help me."

"I can help you," Ansem replied. "Whatever you desire, I can get it for you."

And that was the moment Cloud realized that yes, he was very much in over his head in something he really didn't want to understand.


	2. Chapter 2

Cloud found himself alone again, soon enough. The castle was all but uninhabited, save for some creepy dead women he was informed that he was not to touch.

At least, Cloud told himself, they had heads.

Up on a balcony, the sun was shining fiercely bright. There was plenty of space, and Cloud happily launched into a workout he knew would distract him for hours.

What he wanted was to be infinitely more adept with certain things than he found himself being. His magic was in a rather sorry state, he noted as flames died at his fingertips for the sixth time in a row. And while his limit-break like attacks were strong, there was something lacking in his technique. He could somehow feel his flaws, but not pinpoint them.

He wished for advice, for a spotter or some old ally who could instantly see what he knew himself to be missing.

He wanted Zack with him, holding the blade with him, guiding his movements - an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach warned that too much of his own unique technique left flaws open. Zack was always so good about those things. And Sephiroth, though he seemed to be nothing more than a memory Cloud did not want to conjure up.

Finally Cloud slid down to his knees, slowly catching his breath. The expanse of sheer space stretched as far as he could see, the faint trails of a world falling off to a blissful, content-looking nothingness.

A tiny bit of envy burned in Cloud - he never had figured out just why he was the one who had been spared when so many others had been lost. He was nothing special. He was... hungry.

It was a silly revelation, but his stomach didn't find it so trivial. Cloud made his way down to the large kitchen, happy to find a reasonable amount of food in it. His cooking skills weren't exactly amongst the most honed, but he could keep himself alive without turning too many things to burnt ashes.

* * *

There was only so much Cloud could find to do around the castle. Once he had the maze of flickering elevators and transports figured out, things became downright dull. Even getting as lost as he possibly could, it didn't take long to find his exact location and make his way to another point sadly also not lost.

He had never been the most voracious reader, but more and more the expansive library called to him, beckoning him in with mind-expanding works about any subject imaginable.

Cloud now knew more about earthworms than he had ever wanted to. And the art of trebuchet construction. Part of him actually wanted to build a trebuchet, but he really couldn't think of any reason to do it besides actually doing it. He'd become much too practical over the years, thinking back to a time when he did what he could for survival, ignoring anything extraneous.

There were few chairs in the library, and not a one was comfortable. Without his armor, though, Cloud could easily sink to the floor and lean against a pillar as he read, legs stretched out in front of him. More than once he'd fallen asleep in that position, only to be woken some time later by Ansem.

Time was becoming nonexistent. Cloud had not bothered to mark the days, but he was sure weeks had passed since his still-somewhat inexplicable arrival in Hollow Bastion.

Ansem seemed disinclined to reveal whatever he was scheming, so Cloud contented himself just to pry for any information he could.

It wasn't exactly an easy task - Ansem did not make himself an easy man to approach. Most of their encounters thus far had been instigated by Ansem, for Ansem's benefit. It grew frustrating. Cloud was really starting to wonder if the dead women upstairs would be a better source of conversation.

The more he thought about Ansem, the more captivating the man became. Ansem wasn't a bad host - Cloud certainly never wanted for anything except perhaps a little entertainment.

Stretching, Cloud wandered around the upper level of the library for a moment, double-checking for any hidden switches he had missed previously. The entire room was a beautiful maze, though even that got old after a couple days of figuring out exactly what the handful of configurations truly were.

From the balcony, Cloud could see Ansem working on something at a desk below. The volumes he had spread before him were dusty and old and in a language Cloud could not read.

More than anything, Cloud wanted to know the why of his situation. He couldn't quite bring himself to believe that his bizarre extraction from the Coliseum had been a random act of kindness. Ansem didn't seem the sort.

It was about that moment that Cloud realized he too was being watched. Piercing orange eyes that seemed to have an ethereal fire behind them were surveying him in quite the penetrating manner. Cloud couldn't help a slight blush before returning the gaze.

And then, turning, Cloud decided he'd had quite enough of the library for one day. The overwhelming feeling that he'd stumbled into something he shouldn't have shot through his body and he couldn't help but feel slightly ashamed. As much as boredom was bound to drive him crazy, he had no reason to go spying about on his benefactor just yet.

But the thought was very tempting, of course. Cloud knew that he knew the library painfully well and could at least attempt to locate the books that Ansem had selected. Whatever was in them had to be important. And it might, Cloud decided, possibly explain just what was going on.

Making his way to the lift, Cloud selected his next destination carefully. Those dead women in the upstairs hall had to be some significant piece of the puzzle.

As Cloud crept closer to what he thought of as the Hall of Deadwomen, he could swear he heard voices. Or at least a voice.

Whatever was going on, he suddenly realized that perhaps his adventuring days were not entirely over.


	3. Chapter 3

Somehow, in some way, something very strange had happened. It had nothing to do with the Deadwomen though. Those had been given up on after a very unpleasant run in with the master of the castle.

And that's where the general strangeness had begun. Instead of the usual sort of annoyance Cloud thought he should be feeling upon being caught and verbally chewed out for his curious wanderings, Cloud instead felt a deep disappointment. He did not want to fail Ansem in any way. In fact, he found himself realizing that he longed for Ansem's approval.

There was something very strange about that, but lacking any thing else to follow up on, Cloud wandered back to his room. The castle was a bit boring all of the time and sleeping was one of few things that effectively killed time.

Sleeping, however, quickly became the problem.

Cloud woke from yet another dream, sweat drenching his body and his mind racing. Looking wide-eyed up into the darkness of his very silent, very empty room, he gasped for his breath and then quickly shook his head, hoping to chase away the images from his mind.

But they would not go, intent on tormenting him in his dreams and even more frequently during the day. Every time he would steal a glance at Ansem, his mind would bound back to the dreams, playing them through as he wondered how real they were, if Ansem would respond just like the dreams, if Ansem really looked so perfect when...

Cloud knew he was prone to obsessive fixations. The last one had turned into a painful, broken love but it had been intense nonetheless. In the boredom of the castle, Cloud yearned for something, even if it was for something so horrible as being claimed by his benefactor in repayment for so many things.

Somehow, wanting it so badly made him nearly sick to his stomach, something that only confused him more. And every time Cloud was even confronted by Ansem for something so small as tea or a question about clothing, Cloud would picture his dream-Ansem sweat-drenched and seconds from orgasm.

It wasn't healthy.

Neither was Cloud's current problem, which seemed to be his very demanding and impatient erection. Alertness had rather unfortunately forced itself upon him just moments before what would have hopefully been the climax of his dream and a nice orgasm in his sleep. But no, he was not so lucky to get to share his passion with even a dream partner.

Reaching under the blankets, Cloud couldn't help feel a bit ashamed at what he was doing. Ansem. All he could think about was Ansem, naked, dark skin contrasting soft sheets and his own skin as... Damn he felt like he was back in training, having to sneak off to relieve himself because he'd caught a glimpse of his idol.

This was no way to live.

His own sweat was enough of a lubricant and his body didn't really want to draw things out too far anyway. Making a tunnel of his hands, he just went for it, stroking roughly and quickly, seeking the release he desired. He couldn’t bring himself to imagine even Ansem’s mouth on his arousal. No, this was now between his cock and his hands, racing to release the spiraling tension that was binding inside his body.

Sucking in the cool air from the still of the room, Cloud squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to have any thoughts at all as the world was replaced by the shimmering white stars of orgasm.

Later in the morning, when the sun had finally decided to rise over the castle, Cloud sat in the library again, absolutely not paying a bit of attention to the text on angels he’d discovered to instead watch as Ansem frantically flipped through a thick volume, muttering something too soft for Cloud to hear.

Ever since the Deadwomen incident, Cloud had really taken to not wandering much or asking many questions. Really, he didn’t want to know. He’d spent too many years as an adventurer, a knowledge-seeker. Part of why he’d signed on at the Coliseum was for a change, for a chance to just exist and earn his keep.

Now he wasn’t even earning his keep, invited to stay in such an elegant place but routinely ignored anyway.

Unable to just sit there any longer, Cloud rose and left, walking down to the main hallway of the castle on his way down lower to where he could gaze into the water and wonder if he wasn’t fading away himself, just like the edges of the world.

However, he didn't make it that far, finding himself instead face to face with what he accidentally first thought was a face from the past. But instead it was simply a boy, a boy who looked too much like one long dead.

"Who are you?" the boy asked, looking somewhat unsure.

"My name's Cloud," Cloud said. "I'm a guest of Lord Ansem."

"So am I," the boy replied. "I'm Riku. Where is Ansem? And where are you going?"

"Upstairs and downstairs," Cloud said quickly, turning to go. Not looking back, Cloud didn't see the silver-haired youth linger for a few moments before heading to the staircase.

The water beneath the castle was something Cloud found interesting - something that should be wet but wasn't. Instead it just felt thick and though Cloud didn't understand it, he could breathe while submersed in it. Whatever magics ruled that world, they were strong.

Poking his way through the ornate sewer-ways, Cloud attempted to get himself trapped but couldn't even manage to do that correctly. So much for attempting to live through the thrill of needing to escape.

And as the day grew longer, the darkening space beneath the castle grew to be filled with heartless who seemed just as bored as Cloud did.

One of the last things Cloud was expecting when he grabbed the lift back up to the entranceway was for Anesm to be waiting at the lift-stop, orange eyes focused solely on Cloud.

"Come," Ansem said, gesturing for Cloud to step closer.

And lacking any of the hesitation that would have stopped him even days before, Cloud obeyed.


	4. Chapter 4

"He's looking," Riku had said. "But he can't pinpoint exactly where. He needs something more... solid. A rush of emotion - a wave."

And Ansem had dismissed Riku at that point, quite sure what came next. Though he already knew he had failed to guess the exact nature of Cloud's relationship with the god correctly, there were still plenty of ways to put that necessary wave out there.

And all of them boiled down to two categories: Pain. And Pleasure.

* * *

Cloud wasn't terribly hard to find. He moved in patterns each day, or, more correctly, did the same things each day but not always in the same order. Cloud probably didn't realize any of that, either, which amused Ansem a little more each time he looked up in the library and caught Cloud looking back at him, surprised that his presence was even noticed.

But Ansem did keep careful track of Cloud. His heartless were always around, always watching for him, reporting back.

Waiting at the entranceway, Ansem hoped that what his heartless had told him was true. That would open up the possibility for the second option as opposed to the first. While he couldn't let himself think of Cloud as at all harmless, he certainly couldn't resign himself to the idea of torturing the man until his protecting god arrived.

He could hear the crackle of the lift moving below, and he stood in silence, waiting for the exact moment when Cloud would realize he was being watched.

There was a split-second of connection at that moment, eyes locking before Cloud appeared to become totally unnerved. Perfect.

"Come," Ansem said, gesturing for Cloud to follow him back into the castle. And not surprisingly, Cloud did follow, not speaking until they were on a lift that Cloud certainly shouldn't have known about.

"This goes to your quarters, doesn't it," Cloud asked, his voice suddenly filled with a nervousness that made Ansem want to momentarily question what his heartless had told him. But they weren't quite sentient enough to lie, after all, and certainly not about Cloud whimpering his name while masturbating.

"You've found this lift?" Ansem asked, a little perturbed that he didn't know that tiny fact. He was supposed to have eyes everywhere in the castle after all, including following Cloud's movements.

Ansem hadn't wanted to miss the arrival of his very special guest, after all. And wherever Cloud was, that's where Ansem would catch his god.

"I... I've explored," Cloud admitted. "And I know that others live here. I just haven't been able to see them."

"Others come here, yes, but I wouldn't consider them more than temporary guests," Ansem corrected, reaching to trace a line down Cloud's cheek with his gloved hand.

Cloud didn't back away at the touch, but he did dart his eyes upward, his face a mixture of confusion and lust.

Ansem didn't think it really mattered just why he was taking the blond to his bed, just that he was and would hopefully pull the proper emotion from Cloud and let Cloud send it out, sort of like a homing beacon, he assumed. Cloud and the god were connected after all.

At one point, Ansem had just considered having Riku just tell the god where Cloud was. But there were too many unpredictable elements in that plan. No, Ansem knew he had to be ready and waiting, able to spring his trap on his own terms.

"Come," Ansem said again as the lift stopped and released the barrier that held them trapped together. "My door is no longer locked to you."

Cloud looked almost like he wanted to question the invitation but then apparently thought better of it.

Almost a little shocked at himself, Ansem had his hands on Cloud's clothing just seconds after closing the door to his room, listening to the latch click loudly in the thick silence between them. He was thankful he'd taken Cloud's armor and locked it away, not because it was no longer necessary, just because Cloud looked so much better without armor. Without anything, really, tanned skin no longer as dark as it had been when he arrived, making the blush that threatened him so much more amusing. Ansem pulled off his jacket, wondering if Cloud was always so responsive. He'd barely touched Cloud save for undoing the catches of his clothing and yet the blond was very obviously aroused.

Or had boredom really just broken him, leaving his desperate for anything?

Somehow, in a rush of movement that felt more imagined than anything, Ansem had Cloud on the bed, his own body holding Cloud's down as their mouths met in a kiss that climbed from awkward to overwhelming in just seconds. And while he knew they were only each doing this for reasons completely selfish, Ansem couldn't help but want to make everything as... pleasurable as possible. After all, Cloud's pleasure now would be his later.

He'd remembered oil, despite not having touched another body in this manner for quite some time, and he was not at all surprised that Cloud was no stranger to this exact act. Ansem hadn't been expecting Cloud's hands on his body, though, exploring and guiding between gasps for breath as Ansem slowly spread lube in Cloud's body.

"Please..." Cloud's voice died off into a moan as Ansem slipped fingers free, not at all wanting to do anything to risk the moment. If Cloud wanted more, he'd get more.

Yes, this was all going according to plan. This was...

Surprised at the feel of Cloud's body reacting against his own, shuddering as he thrust into Cloud's giving body, Ansem stopped worrying about the plan for the moment. Cloud was grasping at his own arousal, guiding Ansem's hand in rough strokes over it, nearly mewling Ansem's name.

He hadn't expected this. Ansem had not expected this.

Cloud's orgasm came in a burst, a cry and semen coating his hand and Cloud's stomach in hot bursts that left the blond's body shivering around his own, making him want to abandon what had merely been an arousing rhythm and pound into Cloud, forgetting the plan for more than a moment to chase his own release.

Cloud was still crying out beneath him, apparently not sated by his own release but instead watching, waiting for the act to be shared.

Yes, hopefully this would be enough, Ansem thought as he gave over to his own climax, wondering how he couldn’t be hurting Cloud with his deep thrusts. It would have to be enough. And the god would come.

He would be able to spring his trap.

Of course, he hadn't expected to become trapped himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Ansem sat back, glancing upwards from where he sat in the library to see Cloud still watching him. Not so subtly this time. Not since the previous day...

Looking back to the book he'd been translating out of a language very much not his and hoping to perhaps glean some fragment of knowledge of darkness from, Ansem knew that taking the young warrior into his bed had been a mistake. But one that was necessary - one that was still necessary. The god... The blond's personally protective god with the power to transcend even death to be with him - that was the power that Ansem craved.

Where was the god? Why did he not come and be trapped, wanting to save that which was his? He couldn't possibly have decided to give up his prize after so many years. Ansem had done his research - he knew how tightly bound the pair were. He may not have had every detail right, but after being pulled to physical exhaustion by Cloud's very willing body after combined encounters lasted well into the night, Ansem really thought he'd gotten the gist.

All he could do was wait - Sora's party was still quite trapped in a maze of worlds that felt as though they took minutes to walk through but actually took weeks. Some things were easy to manipulate. But Cloud...

Looking up again, Ansem wasn't at all surprised to see that Cloud had vanished from his perch on the high railing, appearing again halfway across the room, sprawled on the top of a bookcase.

Still returning his gaze...

Knowing that he'd already gotten too deeply into the tangled web he'd woven in search of power, Ansem reached up and gestured for Cloud to come to him.

Cloud obeyed, perfectly, landing on one knee with his head down as though he was a knight returning to his lord.

"Would you like tea?" Ansem asked, curious about the almost-hurt frown that crossed Cloud's face. What was he supposed to do - reach to undo his pants and spend the rest of the day in a sweat-drenched embrace?

No - with luck, Cloud had already sent waves out like a homing beacon. Ansem knew he had to be ready now, no matter how tempting a trivial physical encounter threatened to be.

"Yes," Cloud replied softly. "But..."

"I am not displeased with you," Ansem said quickly as he strode towards the library door. Tea was a simple task; distracting. "On the contrary, I am very pleased. I regret that you've exhausted the allowable possibilities for this castle, however."

"Then..." Cloud's boot were loud on the stone as he ran to catch up in the hallway.

"I believe you've already met Riku," Ansem said. The lift started on its own, jumping a bit and causing Cloud to grab at one of the force-bars. "He will be a suitable sparring partner for you."

"Lord Ansem..."

Ansem wasn't entirely sure how he was supposed to react to Cloud's mouth against his, initiating contact that crept lower to where Cloud's hands wound around his waist.

The kiss wasn't bad, broken only when the lift stopped with a jarring bump.

Frowning, Ansem looked upward at the control for the lift, unsure if it would be better to curse it or bless it. He hadn't wanted this from Cloud. He had just wanted to use the blond and throw him back once the god was safely captured.

In the end, really, Ansem almost liked the idea of leaving them together - weak, but together.

Which is what made it so frustrating when Cloud slid out of the kitchen after not saying more than a handful of words, a cold and half-finished cup of tea the only reminder that he'd ever been there at all.

He could have had Cloud's heart at any time - that wasn't what interested him. No, Cloud was simply bait and it would be pointless to destroy him. If he hadn't already, that was.

Ansem couldn't help a smirk as a few of his heartless gathered around him, seemingly curious about just what their master was thinking. They knew not to hurt the blond that prowled around and occasionally threw a sword in their direction. They didn't seem to possess the intelligence to figure out just why certain people in the castle were allowed to keep their hearts, but if their master said so, that was enough.

Yes, Ansem found himself wondering if trying to take Cloud's heart would be the last little bit of pull that was necessary. The god would come - Ansem was sure of that.

The god would come.

But the moment Ansem wanted still needed to be timed. If the previous night hadn't been enough for the god to find his possession and come crashing into the castle to be snared in a powerful spell, Ansem was positive that he couldn't just rush in and throw the blond down.

No, he didn't want Cloud's heart. He wanted the struggle. He wanted fear.

Unless... Walking to the lift that would take him up to the high balconies, Ansem suddenly had another though - the sort that was more than a little disconcerting. What if the god had stopped caring? What if the god could live without Cloud?

What if... What if his prized Sephiroth did not come? What if Cloud was his now; his to keep?

Riku would come again, the next day, with news. Riku would give him an answer. All he had to do was bide a bit of time until then.

And only when he retired to his chambers did Ansem think again of just how many things had started to go wrong - naked and only half-covered by blankets, Cloud had returned to share his bed.

Memories - vivid intense snapshots of images and sensation from the day before danced into Ansem's head, trapping them in a spell of their own.

So this time, unlike earlier in the afternoon, his restraint crumbled. He reached to undo his pants.


	6. Chapter 6

Wanting to laugh, Cloud offered his hand down to the silver-haired teen, wondering if the youth would even take it. He did, thankfully, brushing himself off and frowning.

"You aren't that strong," he muttered, smoothing the already skin-tight lines of his outfit.

"And you... Darkness?" Cloud asked, strolling over to grab Riku's blade from where it had bounced and landed, just at the edge of the tiny floating island where they'd decided to spar. Both were half-soaked from falling into the pool of stagnant but clear water numerous times, but so far neither had truly lost and been pushed over the edge to fall into the breathable water below.

"You too," Riku replied as he accepted his blade back and smirked. "You... have something I desire. Him."

"Ansem?" Cloud asked, confused for a moment. Certainly he was the one had, not the other way around. And besides, he couldn't explain his actions - not why he longed to be in Ansem's bed.

Unless it was just the power of the man's darkness slowly seducing him. If it wasn't real.

Cloud didn't want to think about it.

"I'm always unwanted," Riku began, taking up his fighting stance before Cloud could even draw his sword. He had to dodge quickly to avoid being hit, swinging wildly at Riku but not connecting.

"Do you have any idea what that's like?" Riku continued. He turned, thrusting his blade at Cloud. Cloud wanted armor. Something. Anything. "For years I desired one thing only to be ignored and passed over."

"Riku..." This was not a friendly spar any more. Their battle had become real.

"The darkness... Ansem gave me another chance. I thought they actually wanted me for who I am, not the power I could have had," Riku screamed, off balance and not at all paying attention as he lunged at Cloud. "I'm just being used. You're just being used."

Cloud froze, not bothering to block as Riku came flying at him. At the last minute he held an arm out to block, but it was too late.

Too close to the edge and with nothing to stop the momentum behind Riku's words and actions, together they fell.

The breathable water was not entirely wet - something that Cloud never bothered to ponder too thoroughly. He clutched at Riku, not entirely surprised that the fall had apparently knocked the wind out of the teen.

Heaving Riku up onto his shoulder, Cloud ascended to the open air quickly and set Riku down. Riku blinked once, gasping for breath and trying to sit up until Cloud forced him flat on his back.

"Breathe," Cloud instructed, wondering just why Riku's aqua eyes were so wide and almost full of fear. He couldn't help his lingering curiosity about just where a miniature version of Sephiroth had materialized from and now he couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach that both of them... were the same. Used cruelly under the guise of acceptance.

"Cloud..." Riku managed a couple of minutes later. "I..."

"You remind me of a man that I once knew," Cloud said. "A man driven to madness while searching for himself and the love from someone who could not give it. He never knew that he was loved."

Riku just grunted, feeling around for his blade. But both their weapons had sunk to the bottom of the strange water.

"He died," Cloud continued, "not knowing."

Riku frowned. "You loved him."

"I bear the mark of loving him," Cloud said flatly, stretching out the wing that he normally kept hidden away beneath both clothing and a simple bit of magic.

As Riku reached to touch the dark, thick skin that spanned Cloud's wing, he paused and gasped.

"You really don't know?" Riku asked as his fingers finally connected with the appendage.

"Don't know what?" Cloud questioned, shivering a bit at the contact.

"Everything," Riku said, moving to lean against Cloud. He was clutching at his arm, a little motion that didn't escape Cloud. "This all... is a trap."

"Then why are you telling me?" Cloud asked. "If you're trapping me..."

"Not you," Riku said, shaking his head. "Sephiroth."

"Seph... But..."

"A one-winged angel," Riku continued, seemingly needing to convince Cloud that he wasn't lying. "Showed up in the Underworld right about when you left. He... He's looking for you."

"No," Cloud replied, knowing that a confrontation with Sephiroth would only mean another attempt at dying. "Sephiroth would not look for me."

"Ansem wants his power to become a god," Riku said harshly, shaking his head. "I'm already in too deeply to fight him. I belong to him. I need him and want him. But you..."

"Ansem is using me as bait?" Cloud surmised, his hands tightening to fists. It was not an easy truth and he wanted to refute it. Ansem had shown him nothing but kindness, providing him with comfort and company. In Ansem's bed, he felt alive. "No. I can't believe you."

"Cloud," Riku began, only to fall silent as Cloud pushed away and stood.

"Next time, I will not fall for your lies," Cloud said as he leapt down to retrieve his own sword and go back to the castle through the sewers and lifts.

He did not see the portal opening behind Riku as thick, black hands pulled the teen into darkness. Sephiroth. Cloud shook his head. There had to be a hidden truth, yes, but Ansem was wise and kind, even if there were a few deadwomen lingering in the castle.

That night, Ansem acted no different from any other night, save being careful of new bruises and scratches that Cloud had not noticed until Ansem's mouth and fingers traced over them whilst en route to coaxing a draining orgasm from him.

Cloud couldn't bring himself to ask about Riku's outburst and admissions, despite a lingering pull even as he lay against Ansem's chest and letting his benefactor's strange heartbeat lull him into a dreamless sleep.

And the next day when he met Riku at the castle gates, the teen did not say a word, instead focusing on Cloud's instructions and movement.


	7. Chapter 7

Yet as the days turned to weeks, Cloud found himself perched on his usual bookcase in the evenings. He did not peer over his book any longer - he did not even see the words. Ansem seemed... agitated. And he knew that he was not the cause. No, he knew he brought pleasure to Ansem.

He had little else, other than his spars with Riku. So what he had, he did well.

Slowly, in the cycle of dusk and dawn, Riku's words returned to him, creeping in along with doubt. And traces of fear. When Riku had mentioned being unwanted, Cloud had understood that much. He knew that feeling - that fear. It clung to him, more and more, as Ansem came to the library less and less often.

The shadows grew longer as he just stared at the words blurred on the page, flipping every now and again in case any of the Shadows truly were watching him. He doubted it. The trust almost bothered him.

There were only so many outcomes, he knew.

"Cloud."

Almost startled, Cloud slammed the book closed. Ansem was below, looking up at him with his arms folded across his chest and a rather self-satisfied look on his face.

"Yes?" Cloud asked as he tucked the book onto the shelf beneath him. He'd never even looked at the cover and hoped Ansem hadn't caught him not reading something utterly ridiculous.

"Come with me," Ansem ordered before turning and heading towards the library stairs.

It was far easier, Cloud had discovered, to jump across a few of the bookcases and land on the second floor of the room. He leapt down, instead, landing crouched with his left hand splayed on the ground. He ached - he'd been sitting for far too long.

Running, he took the stairs two at a time until he'd made it to the top just as Ansem put his foot on the last step.

"What is it?" Cloud asked. He knew what Ansem was guiding him towards - the front of the castle and the many shattered balconies that overlooked the abyss.

"The falling sun and rising darkness," Ansem replied. "The daily death of the sungod and ascent of the moongoddess, though there is no moon tonight. Not here, at least."

"Sunset," Cloud surmised.

"Sunset," Ansem echoed as he started the lift they'd made their way onto.

He'd watched the sun sink beneath the strange horizon of the abyss before. Cloud couldn't imagine that it would be anything new - even with Ansem at his side.

Still, as they silently stepped out onto the balcony, Cloud sucked in his breath. The sky was a brilliant mix of reds and purples centered on the glowing orange ball of the sun as it began to fall beyond view.

Was it a permanent nightfall? Cloud reached for the railing, barely surprised as some of it crumbled in his hand. He was coming to understand that the only thing holding everything together was the power of Ansem and his darkness.

Looking up, he could see stars.

"Watch," Ansem said, holding Cloud's chin so that he couldn't look away from the tiny stars dotting silky purple. Ansem's other hand slid to the small of his back and he shivered.

Color was fading from the sky. Cloud watched. He could feel Ansem's breath on his neck and tried not to think of being with anyone else.

One of those tiny twinkling stars vanished. And then another. Cloud shivered. The hand on his back slid lower.

He reached for Ansem's arm, grasping at Ansem's coat with one hand as he closed his eyes. Ansem's mouth met his, warm in the growing chill of evening. Shifting, he bumped against the railing again. More of it shattered, sending bits of stonework clattering down to drop off into the dark beneath the castle.

Cloud wondered if they'd land in the water or elsewhere. He wanted to do the same thing, drop backwards and fall.

As if he wasn't already falling.

Ansem's hands moved over his body, not letting him pull away. No longer was he any sort of hero. No longer did he dream of it.

Sephiroth had tried to take that from him, many times. But it could not be taken, only given.

Finally, Cloud dropped to his knees, trying to explain in half-gasped words and a flurry of hands as he grabbed at Ansem's pants that leaning against the railing would probably be okay for a few minutes. The sun had nearly vanished. Everything was stronger at night.

He ached for the warmth of Ansem's body against his but he would take any act allowed. He wanted to believe. He wanted to not believe.

Taking Ansem's erection into his mouth, Cloud felt strong fingers wind into his hair. He knew Ansem was pleased by the soft, encouraging noises that seemed to vibrate through him. Frustratingly hard himself, he kept sucking and teasing with his tongue, making sure he had either his mouth or a hand on every bit of revealed flesh.

Rewarded moments later, Cloud swallowed eagerly before carefully licking away any bits of Ansem's seed that he'd missed. He grabbed at the railing to stand. It crumbled in his hand.

Ansem pulled him to his feet, kissing him quickly before slipping behind him and forcing his head upward again to watch the sky. Those strong fingers found his own sensitive arousal a moment later, bringing him far too close to the edge of orgasm in only seconds.

Another star blinked out. And he came, hard, spilling himself on Ansem's hand and that crumbling railing.

He wanted to fall down into the abyss even though he knew he wouldn't be harmed. Licking away his own come from Ansem's hand, he still wanted to fall.

And if he did, he wondered just who and what would be waiting.


	8. Chapter 8

Cloud was surprised to find Riku sitting at the end of the bed he now unquestionably shared with Ansem. The teen was a thing of lethal beauty, dressed in black that belied some sort of strange mission having just passed.

"Good morning," Riku said. "And like the sun rises, you will not be in darkness much longer."

"Coming from you, that's probably a threat," Cloud replied. "Why are you here?"

"Because I'm easy to track," Riku said with a narrow-eyed grin. "Even if you aren't."

Cloud frowned. "You've tried this once already. I won't believe you."

"Won't you?" Riku asked as he thrust out his closed fist in Cloud's direction, waiting for the blond to sit up and hold out his hands to take what he held.

Cloud moved slowly, curious but halting. As he reached out, Riku let go of what he grasped, letting two black feathers float down to rest on Cloud's outstretched hand.

"There," Riku said harshly. He got to his knees and managed to almost slide behind Cloud, hands resting on Cloud's shoulders while he leaned over to whisper in Cloud's ear. "I told him that you'd been playing in the bed of another. He wasn't happy about that, Cloud."

"These..." Cloud had heard Riku, but he hadn't really paid any attention. He didn't think it beneath Riku to trick him with raven feathers, yet something deep inside him insisted that he was holding the real thing. However, he'd given of himself willingly. He'd fallen. Sephiroth should not even still desire him even for punishment. There was nothing from those days left.

He let the feathers fall to where the blankets still covered his legs as he reached up to rest a hand on Riku's. Riku gasped at the contact yet didn't pull away. "Sephiroth left me. At least Ansem has had the decency to make sure I survive."

Cloud was fairly sure Riku wanted to say something, yet the teen did not speak. He opened his mouth once before closing it and pulling away to stand and quickly open a tunnel into darkness. Looking away before Riku was even truly gone, Cloud swallowed hard. He did believe what he'd just said - right?

Slowly he reached down to those black feathers before snatching one up almost as if it would burn him. There was indeed no doubt to its authenticity - and it was a perfect, healthy feather, not one broken and in need of being plucked. Pain had been involved. Cloud frowned and let it fall again.

And as he pushed down the blankets and rose, naked as he stretched in the soft pale of the indirect morning sunlight, Cloud let the feathers fall to the floor and rest, seemingly forgotten as he began to dress.

"Cloud."

Spinning around to smile uneasily at Ansem, who stood in the doorway, Cloud could only wonder how much he'd witnessed. Ansem wore no particular expression other than his usual perverse amusement at finding Cloud half-nude.

"Morning," Cloud managed as he considered grabbing his shirt but instead defaulted for crossing the room to see if he could get Ansem to instead strip him again. He wanted to make sure that Ansem cared about him in some way - it almost didn't matter, as long as Riku's words were untrue.

"Riku was here," Ansem stated, glancing around the room. "Why?"

Cloud shrugged and tried to come up with something proper to say. "Just to idly threaten me. He..."

"There are few people in any world worth trusting," Ansem interrupted as he reached out to run his fingers through Cloud's hair as if he was reassuring a child or puppy. Cloud moved into the touch, pressing himself against the lord of the castle and reaching to undo the clasp of Ansem's jacket to expose dark skin.

"Close the curtains." Ansem's words were an order Cloud quickly obeyed, jumping over the bed to get to the window. One of his feet came down on a black feather but he didn't notice. He reached to undo his own pants even as he blocked off the sunlight. Only a thin strip remained, casting light on the wall across from the bed as Cloud finished undressing.

He looked up at Ansem from the bed, surprised that Ansem hadn't moved and orange eyes were watching him quite curiously.

"I... Sorry," Cloud mumbled before climbing back over and landing on the floor. He was already half-aroused and grasped blindly as he let Ansem kiss him. Somehow he'd gotten good at removing Ansem's clothing while they kissed - practice had always tended to do him wonders. He wanted to be perfect.

He found himself licking dark skin as Ansem pushed him onto the bed, finding sensitive spots to suck at as Ansem hissed and started almost desperately trying to return the lust with a well-placed hand pushing Cloud's legs apart.

Cloud moaned, forgetting himself completely as he was caught in the haze of what he was doing and what he wanted done. He closed his eyes and slipped back, alone for a second before fingers pressed inside his body.

"Please... please!" He was surprised at his voice in the otherwise silent room. He was crying out and asking for more as if it was some sort of confirmation that everything was okay, and for an instant, there was another thought that was easily chased away by the delicious fullness of Ansem's cock slowly thrusting into him.

Clinging to the sheets as one of Ansem's hands settled on his erection, Cloud knew he wouldn't be able to hold off the incredible urge for completion. Each of Ansem's thrusts sent pleasure racing through his body until he couldn't do anything but give in. There was an incredible energy in the room as he came and he cried out in a voice he barely recognized as his own as he felt the warmth of his own seed hit his stomach.

Ansem thrust hard, setting a fast and almost painful rhythm that caused the bed to crash against the wall with the last few motions that triggered orgasm. Ansem was almost quiet, grunting quickly before pausing to lean down and kiss Cloud.

As Ansem's tongue found his, the thought that Cloud had almost managed to form earlier finally took shape. A memory. Riku's words...

'I'm easy to track.'

"And what do we have here?"

Ten thousand years could pass and Cloud would still know that voice anywhere. The first thing he saw that was not the silver-white of Ansem's hair were green glowing eyes that belonged to a god.


	9. Chapter 9

He had to admit, this was not the position he'd intended to be in when the god arrived. No, he had fully intended to be dressed and waiting, not half-hard and still inside the god's lover. But Ansem didn't find any problems with improvising and certainly, he'd made all the preparations. His somewhat metaphorical and partially literal net was waiting.

Speaking just a few words in an almost-painful ancient language, Ansem reached out and instant energy crackled around the room, drawing inward on Sephiroth as the god thrashed and fought.

"Seph..." Cloud whispered as the god dropped to his knees, head forced downward in submission. Unsure if he was truly incapacitated or just chose not to fight the inevitable, Ansem did the only thing he could think to...

"Darkness," he said softly, calling the castle's heartless to him. They could carry the prisoner up to where the Princesses waited for Princes that would never come. He would be held there until he could be properly attended to.

There was no reason to speak - the heartless knew their orders and were there and gone, with Sephiroth, before Ansem did so much as pull away from Cloud.

"My lord..." Cloud managed, blue eyes full of fear as he gazed upward. Ansem smiled as best he could and kissed Cloud's lips. Yes, Cloud had been bait but he was now so much more - he could... He could also ruin everything.

"Get some rest," Ansem said as he wiped himself on the bottom of the blanket and stood. "I apologize for the interruption, but often plans do come to fruition at such... inconvenient times."

Cloud was silent, speechless for some reason or other. It wasn't concerning - yet.

Once dressed and outside the bedroom, Ansem sealed the door and frowned. Something was amiss and he doubted it had anything to do with Cloud, unless Cloud had known more than he had revealed. Still, he had not chosen to aid the god.

Each footstep echoed in the empty castle as Ansem ascended the final staircase to where his guest was waiting.

"It's nothing personal, I assure you," he said when the green-eyed god came into view, bound in snaking chains of darkness and held against the hard stone wall. "Cloud is the one who made that decision. I was satisfied just to keep him from near-certain death in the Coliseum."

Sephiroth strained as though he wanted to speak, but his bindings allowed him to do little more than grunt.

"Good," Ansem continued as he stepped closer and reached to touch the twisting black. Power flowed into him instantly - he felt as though he was suddenly invincable. Smirking, he pulled back and then reached up to fix a few errant strands of Sephiroth's hair before speaking again.

"You surprised me," Ansem admitted as he strolled a few meters before turning and glancing back at Sephiroth. "I was beginning to think that you would never come for him despite being initially assured that your relationship was..."

Sephiroth snarled but did not speak - or could not, Ansem was unsure. He cared little for which was the truth.

"Or did you trust him on his own?" Ansem questioned. "He's not the sort for that. He's too easily controlled."

"Cloud," Sephiroth managed to gasp before again thrashing at his bonds.

"Submits to me," Ansem commented. "Willingly, completely."

He pulled more of Sephiroth's power and smiled. It would take time to absorb all of Sephiroth's power and let it soak into his body. He'd need to learn to control it and not succumb to the rush that cuurently had him wanting to go back to Cloud and fuck him until the blond was thoroughly exhausted.

He felt deliciously invincible. And he had a bit of time to... go play.

"Stay there," Ansem said coldly as he looked at the writhing god. "I need to check on the object of our conversation."

Sephiroth looked away and stopped struggling. Ansem had won.

Cloud was lying naked on top of the covers when Ansem returned.

"You're back," he said as Ansem closed the door - it seemed more like a question than a statement.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ansem asked curiously. He took his jacket off and draped it over a chair. Even though he was sure that he hadn't lost his hold on Cloud, he wanted to confirm that the blond cared little for what happened to Sephiroth.

"I... Well..." Cloud rolled onto his side. "I don't know. But..."

"I apologize for my plan being so ill timed," Ansem said. "Where were we?" He crawled onto the bed and looked down at Cloud.

Cloud smiled and nodded, confirming his interest. He let Ansem push him onto his back before spreading his legs with little guidance. When their mouths met in a hot, hungry kiss, Cloud moaned and reached up to wrap his hands into Ansem's silvery hair.

Somehow, they'd both gotten attached - far more than what had been planned. It had been an unevaluated risk... Ansem found that he didn't much mind in the end. He now had the power he required and desired. And he had a strong, dedicated servant in the form of the body beneath his.

Their hands collided a moment later as they both tried to undo Ansem's pants.

Each movement was quick and greedy. Ansem's pants were pushed off the edge of the bed at about the same moment Ansem grasped Cloud's erection. And everything aside from pleasing one another was forgotten when Ansem pulled his two slicked fingers from Cloud's body and thrust his own erection into tight, wonderful heat.

And only hours later, when they were both tired, did the forgotten piece of the puzzle make the first move towards clicking into place.


	10. Chapter 10

"I would apologize," Riku said as he looked down at the slumped form kneeling on the cold stone floor, "but I'm not sorry. I warned you that it was a trap."

Green eyes - greener than Riku's - slowly became visible as Sephiroth struggled to lift his head.

"I agree," Riku continued. "I don't like seeing them like that either."

He paused and paced the length of the room, returning to stand in front of Sephiroth when he'd finished.

"There are other things falling apart too," Riku added. "Sora has nearly escaped that dimensional trap, and, well... you can probably imagine."

He crouched down, knees apart, and reached to brush back Sephiroth's hair.

"I can free you, but I want one thing in return," RIku stated. He smirked and waited for Sephiroth's response. There was no need to offer too many details just yet.

"Anything," Sephiroth rasped, straining. "Name it."

"Leave Ansem for me," Riku replied, standing up and laughing. "Feel free to hurt him a little, but leave him alive. I want to make sure I'm stronger... He's been controlling me. I want to take a turn controlling him."

Sephiroth was silent, which Riku assumed meant compliance.

He began to unweave the power binding Sephiroth, causing a small army of shadow heartless to appear, curious and also wanting to protect their prisoner. Riku waved them off, though their confusion was evident in their wide, blank eyes and gently tilted heads.

"Go," he hissed to the ones that remained. They would obey him, he hoped, and not question why one of their masters was clearly contradicting the orders of another.

The second Sephiroth was able to move, he did, grabbing Riku before the teen could even catch his breath. Riku had been careful to hold onto the power and not let it disperse back to where Ansem would feel it. No, he'd given it to himself and to Sephiroth.

"Wait," Riku managed to say before Sephiroth could do anything else. "We need to be cautious."

Sephiroth frowned and pulled his sword from whatever subspace he controlled. "No," he said firmly, "we don't."

"I don't know..." Riku began, only to look up at Sephiroth and see the resolve etched in his bright green eyes.

"I do," Sephiroth interrupted. It was his turn to smirk. "Let's go."

For a moment, Riku was frightened. For a moment, he wanted to undo everything he'd just done and go back to his role as a pawn. It had been so much easier - he could be strong but not risk anything. He could see things so clearly... Things had stopped being clear.

But as Sephiroth stepped forward, Riku swallowed hard and followed. This was the last chance he'd get. Either he would succeed or he would fail, as would Sephiroth.

Together, they raced through the hallways, scattering heartless who continued to question Sephiroth's freedom. Any that drew too close to the pair met with gleaming metal and vanished in puffs of black and shimmering flecks. Whether they'd actually been destroyed or not was uncertain, at least to Riku. They were out of the way, at least, and if they had been destroyed, they could be replaced. There was no lack of those who would give in to the wickedness in their hearts.

At the doorway to Ansem's room, they both paused, staring hard for a moment before Sephiroth took Riku's hand and teleported them both inside.

Only Cloud remained.

"Cloud," Sephiroth said, smirking. "I am not amused."

"I don't belong to you," Cloud replied, attempting to draw the sheets up over his body. "I..."

Before he could finish that statement, Sephiroth moved forward, leaping up onto the bed. His sword flashed in the tiny bit of light creeping in between the curtains and Riku heard a strange sound. There was only silence as all three of the room's occupants followed the blade downward to where it was impaled in Cloud's midsection and the bed beneath.

"You don't not belong to me, either," Sephiroth finally said. He had the hilt of the sword in his left hand, gripping it loosely. Riku winced but could not look away. He knew he needed to move on and find his own prey, but he could not look away from the half-hidden and now ever-so-slightly-red spot where steel met blankets and flesh.

"Seph..." Cloud reached for the blade, eyes wide, horrified.

Riku could not look any longer. He turned and raced from the room, his mind a jumble as he ran. Not paying attention to where he was going, he turned a blind corner and crashed right into the owner of the castle.

"Riku..." Ansem frowned. Riku froze - he'd been caught.

No... This was the chance he'd wanted. If only...

"Lord Ansem," Riku said, stepping back and smirking.

"You?" Ansem asked, apparently realizing that Riku was the one who had freed Sephiroth. "But..."

"I'm sick of being a pawn," Riku said. He summoned his own weapon. "Only one of us can go forward from here."

* * *

The outcome hadn't been pleasant for either of them, Riku thought later. He supposed that it served him right for his betrayal. No longer did he wish to conquer and command. Instead... Instead, he simply wanted to rest.

Wandering, looking for a place to be where he could be in peace, where he wouldn't be disturbed, Riku ended up passing through many places. At one point, he saw Cloud again - and Sephiroth. He hadn't thought that Sephiroth would really have killed Cloud. Not permanently, at least. Perhaps he couldn't.

Riku kept wandering. He felt strong, as if he could contain everything within himself without trouble. He hoped that he could, which was the only bit of hope he had left.

And somehow, he ended up back at what was left of Destiny Islands, alone amongst the fragments of the world. He thought he would be okay. He thought he could maintain control. Or at least, he thought, he could be away from everyone and everything.

Gazing at the sea, though, some time after he arrived, he suddenly heard Sora's voice.

And he began to crumble.


End file.
